Flush valve for toilet tanks



Dec. 24, 1963 w. B DELAMATER 3,115,153

FLUSH VALVE FOR TOILET TANKS Filed April 13, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR, MAL/HM Beucs DEL AMA 751e,-

United States Patent 3,115,153 FLUSH VALVE FOR TOILET TANKS William Bruce Delamater, Norwalk, Calif., assignor to Imperial Valve Co., Monterey Park, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Apr. 13, 1961, Ser. No. 115,056 3 Claims. (Cl. 137-426) The present invention relates to a flush valve for toilet tanks and has among its objects the provision of a self contained unit of compact form, which does not require the usual ball float, is positive in operation, easily adjusted to regulate the depth of liquid contained in the toilet tank, simple to manufacture, of few parts, econom ical in construction and easily installed in a toilet tank.

A further object is the provision of a flush valve for toilet tanks which is substantially leak proof and wherein the operating parts thereof are so constructed and arranged as not to require frequent service.

With the above mentioned objects in view, the invention consists of the novel and useful provision, formation, construction, association and relative arrangement of parts, members and features, all as shown in a certain embodiment in the accompanying drawings, described generally, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view of a toilet tank incorporating within the same the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view of the invention shown secured to the base of the toilet tank;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view of the invention, parts thereof shown in a moved position from that of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of FIGURE 2; and,

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view on the line 5--5 of FIGURE 2.

Referring now to the drawings and specifically to FIG- URE 1, a standard form of toilet tank is shown at 1 for holding water 2 to a selected depth, the bottom wall of the tank having an enlarged opening at '3 for receiving flush valve fittings 4 and 5 connected to the usual flush water pipe 6 leading to the toilet bowl or trap. These parts are standard for most toilet tanks.

The drain valve 7 is raised from or engages the valve seat 4 to allow the water 2 to drain from the tank 1 through the pipe 6 and to be seated so that the tank may be filled with water. As is usual, in constructions of this type, a stand or overflow pipe 8' has connection at its lower end with the fitting 4. The usual bracket 9 secured to pipe 8 has an extended arm carrying a guide sleeve 10. An elongated pin 11 secured to valve 7 is passed through guide sleeve 10. The upper end of the pin has the usual ring 12, the pin being passed through an opening in the oifset end of a link 13, with the upper end of the link secured to a lever 14 connected to a drain valve lever 15. When the drain valve lever is depressed the arm =14 is raised to lift the link 13- and thereby lift the pin 11 and the valve 7 from seat 4. The overflow pipe 8 has an open top generally' positioned above the normal height of the water 2 and for draining the water 2 if the level of the water rises too high within the tank. These features are common and are for illus- (ration only, as no is made to any novelty therein.

The flush valve of the present invention is shown in the remaining figures and includes a filling tube 20 externally threaded at its lower end 21 and internally threaded to a fitting 22 carrying a gasket 23. The fitting has a threaded portion 24- passed through an opening 25 of the tank 1 with a nut 26 external the tank and car- "ice ried on the threads 24. The nut when tightened, clamps the fitting 22 to compress the gasket 23 at the opening 25 to prevent water leak at this portion. A valved pipe 27 leading from a source of water supply connects in the usual manner with the fitting 22 to furnish water for filling tube 20'. The filling tube is of extended length and externally screw threaded at its upper end 28.

A valve casing 29 has a circular side wall 30, an annular base 31 integrally formed with the side wall and provided with internal screw threads 32 for engagement with the screw threads 28 of the filling tube. The side Wall is flanged at 33, the flange being externally screw threaded at 34. An annular top wall 35 is internally provided with an annular valve seat 36, the annular valve seat being concentric with the center opening of the top wall 35. As shown, the annular opening of the top wall is substantially of the same diameter as the internal diameter of the filling tube 20. The valve casing construction provides an internal chamber 37.

Within the chamber 37 and lying axially thereof is a valve 40. Valve 40* includes a disk 41 provided with an annular or peripheral upstanding flange 42, an integrally formed valve stem 43 carried by the valve disk axially thereof and which stem is externally provided with longi tudinal grooves or flutes 44. The stem is provided with an enlarged head 45 which is screw threadedat 46. The stem is adapted to pass through the annular opening of .the top wall 35 of the valve casing and when the valve disk 41 moves upwardly to the position shown in FIG- URE 3, the valve seat 36 is received in the annular groove 47 defined by the annular flange 42 and the fluted peripheral surface of the stem to thereby have a sealing engagement between the seat and the valve disk. The threads 46 of the head 45 of the valve stem are adapted to have threaded engagement with the threads 50 of a piston 51, the piston to this end being annular in form. The piston is provided on its base surface with legs or stops 52 which are adapted to engage the external surface of the top 35 of the valve casing when the piston is in the position shown in FIGURE 2. The reason for this const-ruction will be set forth later. The piston 51 is fitted within a cylinder 60. This cylinder is of inverted cup form in that it has a circular side wall and a head or top Wall 61, the circular side wall being internally threaded at '62 for engagement with the threads 34 of the valve casing. The cylinder has its circular side wall provided with a circular series of spaced transverse upper discharge ports which ports are located between the external surface of the top of the valve casing and the piston 51.

The valve casing 29, cylinder 60, and filling tube 20 are positioned axially within an elongated tube 70. Tube loosely surrounds the cylinder 60 and it will be observed that the diameter of the cylinder 60 is greater than the diameter of the valve casing 29. This provides an annular space 71 between the periphery of the cylinder 60 and the interior surface of the tube 70. Tube 70 has an annular base 72 through the central opening 73 of which the filling tube 20 extends. The opening 73 is of greater diameter than the diameter of the filling tube 20. Tube 70 is jacketed by a further tube 74 termed the jacket tube and which tube 74 has a base 75 integrally connected to the tube 70 above the base 72. The jacket tube 74 is open at the top 76. The tube 70 is provided with a circular series of transverse ports 77 positioned .below the base 75 and above the base 72. These are known as lower discharge ports.

The upper end of tube 70 is externally threaded at 80 to receive a cap or fitting 81. Fitting 81 has a curved side wall 82 which is internally screw threaded at 83 to fit the threads 80 of the tube 70 and has a top 84 formed 3 with transverse ports 85. This fitting is formed to carry a tube 86 leading to the interior of the fitting and to the overflow pipe 8, see FIGURE 1.

Depending from the top 84 is a fitting 90 provided with a flange 91 and a conical tip 92 which tip functions as a needle valve. This fitting is bored axially and screw threaded to carry a stem 93. The stem 43 is axially bored at 94 and the stem 93 is loosely passed through said bore 94 and carries at its inner end a needle valve 95. Stem 93 is termed the needle valve stem. The needle valve 95 is adapted to have contact with a conical seat 96 of the disk valve 41 when in the position shown in FIGURE 3 so as to close passage of any liquid between the needle valve stem and the bore 94 into the cylinder above the piston 51.

The conical tip 92 is adapted for reception within a tapered seat 97 in the head 61, see FIGURE 2. Carried upon the fitting 90 between the flange 91 and the top 84, is a disk 100. This disk floats so that it may cover the ports 85 during certain operation of the flush valve mechamsm.

The operation, uses and advantages of the invention just described, are as follows.

In FIGURE 1 the tank 1 is filled with water 2 to a given depth. The valve 7 is closed to its seat and the parts of the flush valve of the invention are in the position shown in FIGURE 3. To govern the height to which the water 2 rises in the tank, I pour into the jacketed space 125 between the jacket cylinder 74 and cylinder 70, water 126. The level of the water 126 will determine the height to which the tubes 70 and 74 will rise in water 2 and one important feature of the tubes 70 and 74 is their function as a float. The weight of the water 126 will determine the buoyancy of the float, it being observed that the two tubes '7 and 74 are closed at the bottom by the wall 75 and therefore in the specification this will be termed the float of the flush valve. The length of the jacket tube 74 is such as to be always above the water level in the tank 1, otherwise there would be no buoyant effect. In FIGURE 3 the needle valve 95 is closed to its seat 96 and the disk valve 40 is closed to its seat 36. Consequently, water which would enter normally through the pipe 27 into the filling tube is prevented from flowing through the valve casing 29. That is to say, that water entering the chamber 37 of the valve casing will be entrapped therein.

If the handle 15 is depressed to lift the valve 7 from its seat, the toilet is flushed and the parts of the flush valve will assume the position shown in FIGURE 2. The supply water will pass through pipe 27 into filling tube 20 and thence into the chamber 37 of the valve casing. The needle valve 95 is unseated from seat 96 and the disk valve 40 is unseated from the annular seat 36. This for the reason that the float, which constitutes the tubes 70 and 74, moves downwardly as the water 2 in the tank is flushed to its lowest position in the tank, as shown in FIGURE 2. The filling tube 20 is stationary as to position in the tank 1. As a consequence, the cylinder 60 and the valve casing 29 has a fixed position and the tubes 70 and 74 move relative to these fixed position members. The tube 70 controls movement of the needle valve 95 and its stem 93 and as the tubes 70 and 74 move downwardly the needle valve is unseated. Water from the source of supply, after the tank has been flushed, enters the space 37 of the valve casing, passes through the bore 94 as this bore is larger in diameter than the diameter of the needle valve stem 93, into the space above the piston 51 in the cylinder 60. The length of the needle valve stem 93 is such that when the parts are in the position of FIGURE 2, the conical tip 92 is seated within the conical seat 97' of the cylinder head or top 61. Consequently, water will not pass outwardly from said cylinder above the piston. However, water received within the chamber 37 will be directed by the flutes or grooved construction 44 below the piston and the top 35 of the valve casing through the discharge ports and thence downwardly between tubes 20 and through ports 77 into the tank. The water passing through ports 77 is discharged into a small amount of water within the tank with the consequence that water passes through the ports 77 silently. As the tank fills with water, the float structure; to wit: tubes 70 and 74, will gradually rise until the needle valve 95 closes to its seat 96 and the disk valve 40 closes to its seat 36. When this occurs, water will not pass through the flutes 44 nor through the bore 94. A certain amount of water initially wiH be received above the piston in the cylinder 60, and this water so received acts as a cushioning means for movement of the piston as it rises in the cylinder to the position shown in FIGURE 3. When the position is reached for the piston as shown in FIGURE 3, the conical tip 92 has been raised from its seat 97 and water above the piston within the cylinder may escape therethrough. In fact, water is constantly escaping at this point as the valves 95 and 40 close to their respective seats. The arrangement is such that the floating disk 100, when water is received above the cylinder head 61, will cause the disk to move upwardly and close the ports and direct water through tube 86, which constitutes a secondary water discharge tube, into the overflow pipe 8. The floating disk 100 and ports 85 which open to the atmosphere, function as a vacuum breaker means which prevents water from syphoning from the tank into the supply system.

FIGURES 2 and 3, while on a reduced scale from the actual size of the flush valve of the invention, never-theless shows the parts in substantially their true relationship. For example, the stem- 93 must be of suflicient length and held by the fitting 90, that the needle valve is open from its seat when the tank is flushed with the disk valve 40 lowered from its seat so as to permit inflow of water through both the bores 94 and through the flutes 44 outwardly of the ports 65 and 77. When the float is elevated to its desired position to stop flow of supply water into the tank, the valve 95 must be closed to its seat as likewise must be disk valve 40 to its seat 36 with the piston 51 elevated from the position of FIG- URE 2 to that of FIGURE 3.

The flush valve of the invention in actual practice has been found to function smoothly and efficiently and to require little attention after once installed within a tank. It will be found that all parts of this invention operate axially. Thus the float moves vertically and axially as does likewise the needle valve, its stem and the piston, disk valve 40 and the disk valve stem 43. Only vertical movement is contemplated for the moving parts and consequently there is no linkage nor rotary valve movement such as is ordinarily employed in flush valves which have a ball float with a float arm which actuates a valve. Valve wear is therefore not a factor in the present invention and the device of the invention is substantially leakproof in operation. It may be noted that when the intake water is directed upwardly through the filling tube 20 into the space 37 of the valve casing that the disk valve 40 is not raised due to the fact that the conical tip 92 is seated against the conical seat 97 and the incoming water is directed through the bore 94 into the cylinder space above the piston 51. This holds the piston downwardly so that it cannot move towards the cylinder head and as a consequence allows the incoming water to pass through the flutes 44, outwardly of the ports 65 and thence through ports 77 into the flush tank. It is only when the conical tip 92 is lifted from its seat 97 that water can escape from above the piston in the cylinder as the float moves upwardly carrying with it the stem and needle valve 95, which needle valve when seated to its seat 96 will lift the disk valve 40 upwardly raising the piston within its cylinder. There is no water hammer or chatter in the operation of my flush valve.

1 claim:

1. A flush valve for toilet tanks, the toilet tank having a base with a fitting in said base connected to a source of water supply under pressure, including: a filling tube having outlet and inlet ends within the toilet tank with the inlet end thereof adapted to be secured to the fitting in said base with the filling tube extending substantially normal to the toilet tank base, a float concentrically surrounding the filling tube and movable relative thereto, said float comprising inner and outer concentric spaced apart tubes, the outer tube provided with an annular base wall joined to the inner tube near its lower 'end, and having an open annular upper end, said inner tube being provided with discharge ports between its lower end and the annular base wall of the outer tube, and valve means and port means within the inner tube adjacent the top thereof for controlling passage of Water through the filling tube into the inner tube of the float for passage through the outlet ports into the supply tank.

2. The device as set forth in claim 1, the space between the inner and outer tubes adapted to receive water to different heights therein to regulate the buoyancy of the float in Water received Within the toilet tank to in turn control the closing of the valve means.

3. The device as set forth in claim 1, said valve means including a disk valve co-axial with the axis of the filling tube and positioned above the outlet end of said filling tube for positive liquid pressure engagement, a casing secured to the upper end of the filling tube and surrounding the disk valve, said casing provided with said port means and with an annular valve seat for engagement with the disk valve, and a stem carried by the disk valve and passing axially through the 'valve seat, the construction being such that water may pass between the stem and the valve seat and through said port means outwardly of the casing and into the inner tube of the float when the disk valve is unseated.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 679,456 Curtis July 30, 1901 1,589,786 Bradshaw June 22, 1926 1,791,570 Orton et al. Feb. 10, 1931 2,189,427; Long Feb. 6, 1940 3,049,010 Holderith Aug. 14, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 13,858 Great Britain of 1889 24,164 Great Britain of 1892 

1. A FLUSH VALVE FOR TOILET TANKS, THE TOILET TANK HAVING A BASE WITH A FITTING IN SAID BASE CONNECTED TO A SOURCE OF WATER SUPPLY UNDER PRESSURE, INCLUDING: A FILLING TUBE HAVING OUTLET AND INLET ENDS WITHIN THE TOILET TANK WITH THE INLET END THEREOF ADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO THE FITTING IN SAID BASE WITH THE FILLING TUBE EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO THE TOILET TANK BASE, A FLOAT CONCENTRICALLY SURROUNDING THE FILLING TUBE AND MOVABLE RELATIVE THERETO, SAID FLOAT COMPRISING INNER AND OUTER CONCENTRIC SPACED APART TUBES, THE OUTER TUBE PROVIDED WITH AN ANNULAR BASE WALL JOINED TO THE INNER TUBE NEAR ITS LOWER END, AND HAVING AN OPEN ANNULAR UPPER END, SAID INNER TUBE BEING PROVIDED WITH DISCHARGE PORTS BETWEEN ITS LOWER END AND THE ANNULAR BASE WALL OF THE OUTER TUBE, AND VALVE MEANS AND PORT MEANS WITHIN THE INNER TUBE ADJACENT THE TOP THEREOF FOR CONTROLLING PASSAGE OF WATER THROUGH THE FILLING TUBE INTO THE INNER TUBE OF THE FLOAT FOR PASSAGE THROUGH THE OUTLET PORTS INTO THE SUPPLY TANK. 